{"id":142,"date":"2026-10-23T20:58:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T18:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/?p=142"},"modified":"2026-10-23T20:58:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T18:58:54","slug":"hr-metrics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/hr-metrics\/","title":{"rendered":"HR Metrics: Definitions, Formulas and How to Choose Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"ok-byline\"><div class=\"ok-who\"><span class=\"ok-avatar\" aria-hidden=\"true\">MB<\/span><div><strong>Written by Max Benz<\/strong><span>Updated <time datetime=\"2026-10-23\">October 23, 2026<\/time> \u00b7 16 min read<\/span><\/div><\/div><ul class=ok-chips><li class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ok\">30+ metrics with formulas<\/li><li class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ok\">Worked example<\/li><li class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ok\">Dashboard template<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HR metrics are numbers that describe the workforce and the work HR does: how many people you have, how many leave, how long hiring takes, what it costs and whether people are paid and treated consistently. This guide gives the formula for each common metric, says what the result tells you, walks through one quarter of numbers for a 200-person company and ends with a dashboard template you can copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The formulas are standard definitions, and the example figures are made up so you can check the arithmetic yourself. If you've got an HRIS, you'll find most inputs already there. Where an outside source sets the definition, it's linked. We don't quote industry benchmarks, because they change and they're tied to your sector and size, which isn't something a general guide can know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ok-tldr\"><strong class=\"ok-tldr__h\">The short version<\/strong><ul><li>Start from the question leadership asks (are we losing people, are we hiring fast enough, is pay consistent), then pick 6 to 10 metrics that answer it.<\/li><li>Most rate metrics need a denominator. Turnover, hires and separations are divided by average headcount, so fix that definition once and keep it; you'll thank yourself in a year.<\/li><li>Write down the formula, the source system, the owner and the review cadence for each metric. A number without a definition can't be compared next quarter, and that's the usual reason trends get disputed.<\/li><li>Small teams produce noisy rates, and that's not a flaw in the formula. One departure in a team of 20 moves annual turnover by 5 points, so read counts next to percentages.<\/li><li>Selection metrics such as the adverse impact ratio are compliance tools. Treat a result below 80% as a prompt to investigate, not as a verdict.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<nav class=\"ok-toc\" aria-label=\"On this page\"><p class=\"ok-toc__h\">On this page<\/p><ol><li><a href=\"#what-are-hr-metrics-and-how-do-they-differ-from-hr-analytics\">What Are HR Metrics and How Do They Differ from HR Analytics?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#which-hr-metrics-should-you-track\">Which HR Metrics Should You Track?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#hr-metrics-formulas-by-category\">HR Metrics Formulas by Category<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#hr-metrics-example-one-quarter-for-a-200-person-company\">HR Metrics Example: One Quarter for a 200-Person Company<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-set-up-hr-metrics-reporting\">How to Set Up HR Metrics Reporting<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#common-hr-metrics-mistakes\">Common HR Metrics Mistakes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#hr-metrics-dashboard-template\">HR Metrics Dashboard Template<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#where-the-people-ops-manager-fits\">Where The People Ops Manager Fits<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#hr-metrics-faq\">HR Metrics FAQ<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-hr-metrics-and-how-do-they-differ-from-hr-analytics\">What Are HR Metrics and How Do They Differ from HR Analytics?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HR metrics are quantified measures of workforce outcomes and HR processes, such as turnover rate, time to fill and cost per hire. A metric is a single calculated number, but it says little alone. A KPI is a metric you've tied to a target and an owner. HR analytics is the work of combining metrics to explain why a number moved and what will happen next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analytics is usually described in four types, which also answers a common search question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Descriptive<\/strong> analytics reports what happened, for example 9 people left last quarter.<\/li><li><strong>Diagnostic<\/strong> analytics explains why, for example that 5 of the 9 reported to the same manager.<\/li><li><strong>Predictive<\/strong> analytics estimates what's likely next, for example which roles are at risk of leaving.<\/li><li><strong>Prescriptive<\/strong> analytics recommends an action, for example which fix to try first.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five common examples are turnover rate, time to fill, cost per hire, absence rate and eNPS. Each is a count or ratio with a stated denominator, and each has a limit: turnover ignores who left, time to fill ignores how well the hire works out, and eNPS says little without the reasons behind the scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most teams need descriptive and diagnostic work long before predictive models, so don't start with the model. You'll rarely have enough clean data for one anyway, and it's the basics that fail first. The metrics below are all descriptive building blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Timing matters because people rarely say they're unhappy until they have decided to go. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/workplace\/646538\/employee-turnover-preventable-often-ignored.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Gallup<\/a> surveyed 717 U.S. employees who had voluntarily left a job in the previous 12 months. 42% said their manager or organization could have done something to prevent the departure, and 45% said no manager or other leader had proactively discussed their job satisfaction, performance or future in the three months before they left. A turnover rate tells you the loss happened. It doesn't tell you the conversation was missing, and that gap is what most teams could fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For organizations that report workforce data to boards or investors, ISO 30414 is the international guideline for internal and external human capital reporting. Its contents differ between editions, so check the edition you're reporting under before adopting its metric list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-hr-metrics-should-you-track\">Which HR Metrics Should You Track?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Track 6 to 10 metrics (that's plenty), each chosen because it answers a question someone will act on, rather than because a tool offers it. A metric nobody can act on is decoration, not insight, and a long list makes the few that matter harder to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Question you're asked<\/th><th>Metrics that answer it<\/th><th>Where the data usually lives<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Are we losing people we want to keep?<\/td><td>Turnover rate, voluntary turnover rate, 90-day retention, regretted attrition<\/td><td>HRIS<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Are we hiring fast enough and at a sensible cost?<\/td><td>Time to fill, cost per hire, offer acceptance rate<\/td><td>Applicant tracking system, finance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Are new hires set up to succeed?<\/td><td>Onboarding completion before day one, time to productivity<\/td><td>Onboarding checklist, manager survey<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Is the team engaged and developing?<\/td><td>eNPS, review completion rate, training hours per employee<\/td><td>Survey tool, performance system, LMS<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Is pay consistent and affordable?<\/td><td>Compa-ratio, overtime rate, revenue per employee<\/td><td>Payroll, finance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Are we treating people consistently and lawfully?<\/td><td>Adverse impact ratio, representation, compliance training completion<\/td><td>ATS, HRIS<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aim for one or two metrics per question, which is enough to show a trend without burying the reader. If you can't name who reads the number and what they'd do differently, drop it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hr-metrics-formulas-by-category\">HR Metrics Formulas by Category<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each table gives the formula and what the result tells you; it's meant to be skimmed. Rates are multiplied by 100 to give a percentage, though a few ratios (compa-ratio) stay as decimals. Where a government source sets the definition, the table says so, and you'll find the link there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"headcount-and-turnover-metrics\">Headcount and Turnover Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The denominator for most rates in this section is average headcount: (headcount at the start of the period + headcount at the end) \/ 2. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/opub\/hom\/jlt\/calculation.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> computes its hires and separations rates by dividing the number of hires or separations by employment, and defines total separations as quits plus layoffs and discharges plus other separations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Average headcount<\/td><td>(Start headcount + end headcount) \/ 2<\/td><td>The denominator for the rates below<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Turnover rate<\/td><td>Separations in the period \/ average headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>How much of the workforce left, voluntary and involuntary together<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Voluntary turnover rate<\/td><td>Resignations in the period \/ average headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Departures the company could have influenced<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Retention rate<\/td><td>(End headcount \u2212 new hires in the period) \/ start headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Share of the starting group still employed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>90-day retention<\/td><td>New hires still employed at day 90 \/ new hires in the cohort \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether hiring and onboarding hold up in the first quarter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Regretted attrition<\/td><td>Departures you wanted to keep \/ average headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether you're losing the right or the wrong people<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To compare periods of different length, annualize, but be careful: a quarterly rate multiplied by 4 gives an approximate yearly rate. Say that you did it, because a single bad quarter overstates the year, and recalculate on full-year departures and average headcount when you can, since the two results can differ. Readers who don't know it's annualized will compare it with last year's full figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There's no universal good turnover rate. It varies by industry, role mix and company size, so compare against your own last four quarters first, then against a peer group that defines turnover the way you do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regretted attrition needs a rule written before anyone leaves, and it shouldn't be left to whoever's asked, for example a rating threshold or a critical-skill flag. If managers decide afterwards, the number follows opinion, and it's hard to defend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"recruiting-metrics\">Recruiting Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Time to fill<\/td><td>Days from approved requisition to offer accepted, averaged over filled roles<\/td><td>How long a vacancy stays open<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Time to hire<\/td><td>Days from candidate's application to offer accepted, averaged<\/td><td>How fast the process moves a candidate<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cost per hire<\/td><td>(Internal recruiting costs + external recruiting costs) \/ hires in the period<\/td><td>What each hire costs in fees, ads, tools and recruiter time<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Offer acceptance rate<\/td><td>Offers accepted \/ offers extended \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether the offer, the pay and the process win candidates<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Applicants per opening<\/td><td>Applications received \/ open roles<\/td><td>Demand for the role and the quality of the posting<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Quality of hire<\/td><td>Defined by you, often a blend of 6-month performance rating, retention and manager satisfaction<\/td><td>Whether hires turn out well; there is no single standard formula<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Define the start and end dates once; it's a small step that saves arguments later. Time to fill and time to hire are often used as if they mean the same thing, yet they differ by the time before a candidate applies. Decide which one you report and label it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"onboarding-and-offboarding-metrics\">Onboarding and Offboarding Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These metrics aren't in most generic HR metrics lists, yet they're where cross-team work shows up. They depend on IT, finance and managers rather than on HR alone. For the process behind them, see our guide to the <a href=\"\/blog\/onboarding-process\/\">employee onboarding process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Onboarding completion before day one<\/td><td>Pre-start tasks done before the start date \/ pre-start tasks assigned \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether the laptop, accounts and paperwork are ready when the person arrives<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Time to productivity<\/td><td>Days from start date to the milestone you define, such as first independent task or quota attainment<\/td><td>How long a new hire takes to contribute; the milestone is your choice<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New-hire survey score<\/td><td>Average score on a 30, 60 or 90 day pulse survey<\/td><td>How the person experiences the first months<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Exit interview completion rate<\/td><td>Exit interviews held \/ voluntary departures \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether you collect leaver feedback consistently; see <a href=\"\/blog\/exit-interview-questions\/\">exit interview questions<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Access removal time<\/td><td>Hours from last day to last system account disabled<\/td><td>Whether offboarding closes security gaps<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first metric is the easiest to improve, because it's a count of tasks with owners. A new-hire checklist makes it measurable; our <a href=\"\/blog\/new-hire-onboarding-template\/\">new hire onboarding template<\/a> has one you can copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"performance-engagement-and-development-metrics\">Performance, Engagement and Development Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>eNPS<\/td><td>% promoters (scores 9 and 10) \u2212 % detractors (scores 0 to 6) on \"How likely are you to recommend this company as a place to work?\"<\/td><td>A single engagement signal that can be repeated every quarter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Review completion rate<\/td><td>Reviews submitted on time \/ reviews due \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether the performance process is actually running<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Goal attainment rate<\/td><td>Goals marked met \/ goals set \u00d7 100<\/td><td>How realistic goals are; treat very high and very low values with suspicion<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Training hours per employee<\/td><td>Total training hours \/ average headcount<\/td><td>Learning activity, not learning quality<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Internal mobility rate<\/td><td>Internal moves and promotions \/ average headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether people can grow without leaving<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">eNPS is a convention borrowed from Net Promoter Score, so report the question wording with the number. A complete picture of performance tools is in our guide to <a href=\"\/blog\/performance-management-software\/\">performance management software<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pay-and-cost-metrics\">Pay and Cost Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Compa-ratio<\/td><td>An employee's pay \/ midpoint of the pay range for the role<\/td><td>Where someone sits in their range; 1.00 is the midpoint<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Revenue per employee<\/td><td>Revenue \/ average headcount<\/td><td>Output per head; compare only with your own history or close peers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Overtime rate<\/td><td>Overtime hours \/ total paid hours \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Staffing strain or scheduling problems<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Labor cost ratio<\/td><td>Total labor cost \/ revenue \u00d7 100<\/td><td>How much of revenue goes to people<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>HR cost per employee<\/td><td>Total HR function cost \/ average headcount<\/td><td>What it costs to run HR; compare with your own history<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"time-and-attendance-metrics\">Time and Attendance Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Absence rate<\/td><td>Employees with an absence in the period \/ total employees \u00d7 100<\/td><td>How common absence is. The BLS Current Population Survey <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/cps\/cpsaat47.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">defines it<\/a> as workers with absences divided by total full-time wage and salary employment<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Unscheduled absence rate<\/td><td>Unplanned absence days \/ scheduled workdays \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Sudden gaps that scheduling can't absorb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Schedule adherence<\/td><td>Hours worked on schedule \/ hours scheduled \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether rosters match what happens<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Coverage<\/td><td>Shifts staffed to plan \/ shifts planned \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether you can run the operation as designed<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hourly and shift teams read these closely, since they can't ignore gaps in coverage. See <a href=\"\/blog\/employee-scheduling-software\/\">employee scheduling software<\/a> and <a href=\"\/blog\/workforce-management-software\/\">workforce management software<\/a> for the tools that produce the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"diversity-and-compliance-metrics\">Diversity and Compliance Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>What it tells you<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Representation<\/td><td>Employees in a group \/ total employees \u00d7 100, by level<\/td><td>Who is in the workforce and at which levels<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Selection rate<\/td><td>People selected from a group \/ applicants from that group \u00d7 100<\/td><td>The hiring or promotion rate for that group<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Adverse impact ratio<\/td><td>Selection rate of a group \/ selection rate of the group with the highest rate \u00d7 100<\/td><td>A screening test for uneven selection<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pay gap<\/td><td>(Median pay of group A \u2212 median pay of group B) \/ median pay of group A \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether pay differs between groups, before controlling for role and tenure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Compliance training completion<\/td><td>Employees who completed required training \/ employees required \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Whether mandatory training is done<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The adverse impact ratio comes from the U.S. Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/cfr\/text\/29\/1607.4\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">29 CFR 1607.4(D)<\/a>, a selection rate for any race, sex or ethnic group that is less than four-fifths (80 percent) of the rate for the group with the highest rate is generally regarded as evidence of adverse impact. It's a rule of thumb for flagging, not a legal conclusion, although small samples can mislead. Involve counsel before acting on a result; don't treat the ratio as a finding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hr-metrics-example-one-quarter-for-a-200-person-company\">HR Metrics Example: One Quarter for a 200-Person Company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The numbers below are invented to show the arithmetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Input<\/th><th>Value<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Headcount at start of quarter<\/td><td>196<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Headcount at end of quarter<\/td><td>204<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New hires<\/td><td>17<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Separations (6 resignations, 3 involuntary)<\/td><td>9<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Roles filled and days to fill<\/td><td>41, 52 and 37 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Total recruiting cost<\/td><td>$68,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Offers extended and accepted<\/td><td>21 and 17<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hires from last quarter's cohort \/ still employed at day 90<\/td><td>14 \/ 12<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Calculation<\/th><th>Result<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Average headcount<\/td><td>(196 + 204) \/ 2<\/td><td>200<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Turnover rate<\/td><td>9 \/ 200 \u00d7 100<\/td><td>4.5% for the quarter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Annualized turnover<\/td><td>4.5% \u00d7 4<\/td><td>About 18%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Voluntary turnover rate<\/td><td>6 \/ 200 \u00d7 100<\/td><td>3.0% for the quarter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Time to fill<\/td><td>(41 + 52 + 37) \/ 3<\/td><td>43.3 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cost per hire<\/td><td>$68,000 \/ 17<\/td><td>$4,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Offer acceptance rate<\/td><td>17 \/ 21 \u00d7 100<\/td><td>81.0%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>90-day retention<\/td><td>12 \/ 14 \u00d7 100<\/td><td>85.7%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are two readings from these numbers, one on rates and one on sample size. First, 4.5% in a quarter sounds modest, but annualized it's 18%, so say which one you mean. Second, the 90-day figure rests on 14 people: two early leavers moved it by 14 points. Show the counts beside the percentages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now a selection check, which isn't a turnover metric but uses the same arithmetic. Suppose 40 applicants from group A and 30 from group B were interviewed, and 20 from group A and 9 from group B advanced. The selection rates are 50% and 30%. The adverse impact ratio is 30 \/ 50 \u00d7 100 = 60%, which is below 80%, so the stage deserves a review of the criteria and the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-set-up-hr-metrics-reporting\">How to Set Up HR Metrics Reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reporting works when definitions are written down, not when the dashboard looks good; it doesn't depend on the tool. Work through these steps in order; it's quicker than fixing a dashboard later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"ok-steps\"><li><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"start-from-the-question\">Start from the question<\/h3><p>List the three or four questions leadership asks every quarter. Pick the metrics from the table above that answer them and drop the rest; you don't need them all.<\/p><div class=\"ok-steps__meta\">Owner: head of People \u00b7 1 hour<\/div><\/li><li><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"write-the-definition\">Write the definition<\/h3><p>For each metric, write the formula, the time window, who counts as an employee and the date field used. Decide whether contractors and interns are in or out.<\/p><div class=\"ok-steps__meta\">Owner: People Ops \u00b7 2 hours<\/div><\/li><li><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"name-the-source-of-truth\">Name the source of truth<\/h3><p>Each number comes from one system: the HRIS for headcount and separations, the applicant tracking system for time to fill, payroll for pay. Don't rebuild the same number in two spreadsheets; they'll drift apart.<\/p><div class=\"ok-steps__meta\">Owner: People Ops with IT<\/div><\/li><li><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"assign-an-owner-and-a-cadence\">Assign an owner and a cadence<\/h3><p>One person is responsible for each number and for explaining a move, so nobody says it's someone else's. Monthly works for most counts; engagement and pay metrics are fine quarterly.<\/p><div class=\"ok-steps__meta\">Owner: metric owner<\/div><\/li><li><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"add-a-review-trigger\">Add a review trigger<\/h3><p>Decide ahead of time what change prompts a conversation, so you aren't improvising, such as voluntary turnover above your own twelve-month average by a set margin. Write the threshold next to the metric.<\/p><div class=\"ok-steps__meta\">Owner: head of People<\/div><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"common-hr-metrics-mistakes\">Common HR Metrics Mistakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most bad HR reporting comes from a short list of avoidable errors, not from bad intent. Each one has a simple fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Changing definitions midyear.<\/strong> Although it feels harmless, if time to fill starts at requisition approval in Q1 and at posting date in Q2, the trend is meaningless. Version your definitions so you can say what changed and when. It's a five-minute habit.<\/li><li><strong>Reading rates on small samples.<\/strong> One resignation in a 20-person team is 5 percentage points of turnover. Show counts and avoid ranking small teams; they're too noisy to compare.<\/li><li><strong>Mixing voluntary and involuntary exits.<\/strong> A restructuring spikes total turnover without saying anything about retention. Report them separately, since they've different causes and different fixes.<\/li><li><strong>Treating training hours as learning.<\/strong> Hours measure activity, however, not skill. Pair them with a check that skills were used, because that's what the training was for.<\/li><li><strong>Collecting sensitive data without a purpose.<\/strong> Diversity, health and absence data are personal, but teams often gather them first and ask why later. Collect only what a decision needs, don't hoard the rest, restrict who can see it and check local privacy rules.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"ok-callout ok-callout--watch\"><p><strong>Compare like with like<\/strong> Published turnover or time to fill benchmarks mix industries, company sizes and definitions, and they don't say which they used. Use them to sense-check, but not to set targets, and compare against your own trend first.<\/p><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hr-metrics-dashboard-template\">HR Metrics Dashboard Template<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You'll want this in a spreadsheet, so copy this table and fill one row per metric you've chosen. The last two columns are the ones most dashboards leave out, and they're the ones that make a number actionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Formula<\/th><th>Source system<\/th><th>Owner<\/th><th>Cadence<\/th><th>Review trigger<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Turnover rate<\/td><td>Separations \/ average headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>HRIS<\/td><td>People Ops<\/td><td>Monthly<\/td><td>Above your 12-month average by the margin you set<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Voluntary turnover rate<\/td><td>Resignations \/ average headcount \u00d7 100<\/td><td>HRIS<\/td><td>HR business partner<\/td><td>Monthly<\/td><td>Two or more resignations from one team in a quarter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Time to fill<\/td><td>Days from requisition approval to accepted offer<\/td><td>ATS<\/td><td>Talent acquisition<\/td><td>Monthly<\/td><td>Open longer than your target for a role family<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cost per hire<\/td><td>(Internal + external recruiting cost) \/ hires<\/td><td>ATS and finance<\/td><td>Talent acquisition<\/td><td>Quarterly<\/td><td>Rises two quarters in a row<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Onboarding completion before day one<\/td><td>Pre-start tasks done \/ assigned \u00d7 100<\/td><td>Onboarding checklist<\/td><td>People Ops<\/td><td>Per cohort<\/td><td>Any hire starting with open IT tasks<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>90-day retention<\/td><td>Still employed at day 90 \/ cohort \u00d7 100<\/td><td>HRIS<\/td><td>People Ops<\/td><td>Quarterly<\/td><td>Any early leaver without an exit conversation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>eNPS<\/td><td>% promoters \u2212 % detractors<\/td><td>Survey tool<\/td><td>Head of People<\/td><td>Quarterly<\/td><td>Drop of 10 points or more<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Adverse impact ratio<\/td><td>Group selection rate \/ highest selection rate \u00d7 100<\/td><td>ATS<\/td><td>People Ops with counsel<\/td><td>Per hiring stage, twice a year<\/td><td>Below 80%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ok-check\"><strong class=\"ok-check__h\">Before you share the dashboard<\/strong><ul><li>Every metric has a written formula and time window<\/li><li>Headcount excludes or includes contractors by one stated rule<\/li><li>Counts appear next to every percentage<\/li><li>Each metric has a named owner and a source system<\/li><li>Review triggers are written down before the numbers come in<\/li><li>Sensitive metrics have restricted access<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-the-people-ops-manager-fits\">Where The People Ops Manager Fits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"ok-product ok-wide\" id=\"the-people-ops-manager\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md ok-fav--ours\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/pops.svg\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div><p class=\"ok-product__eyebrow\">What these tools don&#x27;t coordinate<\/p><p class=\"ok-product__head\">Knowing, per starter, which task is blocked and who owns it<\/p><p>The People Ops Manager isn't an HRIS and doesn't replace one. It coordinates onboarding and offboarding across HR, IT, finance and hiring managers, shows who's ready for day one and what is blocked, and routes access changes through recorded approvals. It works with Claude and ChatGPT over MCP and lists BambooHR, Personio, Slack, Jira and Microsoft Entra among its integrations. Signup is invite-only right now.<\/p><\/div><a class=\"ok-product__cta\" href=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/\">See how it works<\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hr-metrics-faq\">HR Metrics FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What are HR metrics and what are some examples?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>HR metrics are calculated measures of workforce outcomes and HR processes. Common examples are turnover rate, time to fill, cost per hire, offer acceptance rate, absence rate and eNPS. The formulas are in the tables above.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What are the four types of HR analytics?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Descriptive (what happened), diagnostic (why it happened), predictive (what's likely to happen) and prescriptive (what to do about it). Most teams get more value from descriptive and diagnostic work first than from predictive models.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What's the difference between an HR metric and an HR KPI?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>A metric is any calculated number. A KPI is a metric tied to a target, an owner and a decision. Turnover rate is a metric; voluntary turnover held under a target set by leadership and owned by a named person is a KPI.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How many HR metrics should you track?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Most companies do well with six to ten, picked for the questions leadership actually asks. Add more only when a specific decision needs them.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-5\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What are the 7 C's of HR?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>There's no single standard list under that name, and sources define it differently. Check which framework a source means before using it, and don't treat it as a set of measurable metrics.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-6\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How do you calculate employee turnover rate?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Divide the number of separations in the period by average headcount and multiply by 100. Average headcount is the start and end headcount added together and divided by two. For an annual figure from a quarterly one, multiply by four and say that you did.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"ok-related ok-wide\"><li><a href=\"\/blog\/onboarding-process\/\"><span>Guide<\/span>Employee onboarding process: steps, owners and handoffs<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/blog\/exit-interview-questions\/\"><span>Guide<\/span>Exit interview questions and how to use the answers<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/blog\/hris-software\/\"><span>Software<\/span>Best HRIS software<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/blog\/performance-management-software\/\"><span>Software<\/span>Best performance management software<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HR metrics explained with formulas for turnover, time to fill and cost per hire, a worked example for 200 employees and a dashboard template to copy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142\/revisions\/149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}